Refrigerator case



May 10, 1938. c; A SPQERL 2,116,803

REFRIGERATOR CASE Filed July 26, 1953 3.9 6 3l@ 3Q 30*7 y gl 34 2 l W s u n.1 vd.' Y r Ah v .NQ d 38 32 36 .34 33 Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICEv nEFmeERAT-oa oAsn Carl A. S`poer1, Philadelphia, Pa.. vAmilicanon July 26, 193s, serial No. 682,262

` s claims. (o1. 21m-56.5)

My invention is an improved refrigerator particularly adapted for use as ^a display counter, and designed to provide a more efficient means for minimizing the ingress of warm or moistureig' laden air to the food compartment, through the mountings of the transparent panelsby which the contents of the refrigerated chamber are displayed.

The refrigerated chamber through which the 'chilled air is circulated is enclosed in part by a plurality of transparent parallel panels which are mounted in frames. One of the frames is movable normally to the plane'cf theother frame or frames by clamping devicespassing through one and into the other of the frames beyond the edges of the panels. Thesurfaces of adjacent frames and complementary body members of the case are drawn together tightly and prevent seepage of air into the refrigerant chamber, the joints between the surfaces preferably having between them compressible gaskets or packings and the edges of the frames being coated with an impermeable substance such as wax, paint or sheet material. In one form, all of the panels and frames are adaptedfor shipment as an assembled or self-sustained unit.

Access to the interior of the refrigerated chamber is preferably provided by means of composition doors. i

The` characteristic features and advantages of my invention will further appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing in illustration thereof.I

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a refrigerator display case embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view showing .the construction of the top of the front of the case and the mounting of the panel rims; Fig. 2a is a view, similar to Fig. 2, of a modified form of the structure thereof; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional View through the right hand side of the case viewed from the front taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and showing the mounting of the sides of the panel frame.

As illustrated in the drawing, my invention is embodied in a counter display case comprising an insulated wall I forming an inclined bottom 2, an insulated rear wall 3, a front wall 4 having a bottom beam or stringer 5, and a top beam or Stringer 6. The rear wall 3 supports an insulated shelf l, which is connected with a supporting beam 8. A top beam 9 coacts with the beam t to support the insulated top member I Il.

The front wall 4 supports a plurality of spaced parallel transparent panels 28, the inner panel being mounted (as shown in Fig. 1) in horizontal grooves in the stringers and 6, and (as shown in Fig. 3), in upright grooves formed in side members 29 that are removably attached, as by screws l 30, to upright beams 3l joining the stringers 5 and 6.

The outer and center panels are similarly mounted in frames 32 which extend beyond the edges of the transparent panels in the direction of the planes thereof.

On outer rim or frame 33 is fitted against the outer panelframe 32 in a groove in the walls 4, 6 and 3 I. Screws-34, 35 and `36 hold the panels in position and clamp the faces of the frames together. The screws 34 secure the frame 33 to the stringers 5 and 6 and to the upright beams 3 I. The screws 35 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2), each extend through the outer rim 33 and through each of the panel frames 32 into the stringers 5 and 6, and the screws 36 (shown in Fig. 3) arepreferably shorter and connect and draw together the faces of each adjacent pair of frames 32 and members 33 and 29.

When the screws are driven home, the surfaces of the adjacent frames and casing members are drawn together tightly to prevent seepage of air into the refrigerating chamber; The joints between these surfaces preferably have between them compressible gaskets 31, as of rubber or paper, and packings or sealing elements 38, as of putty, which provides a plastic seal for the glass panels in the frame grooves. Coatings 39, as of wax, paint or sheet material, are provided on? thel edge and adjacent side surfaces of the panel frames 32 to prevent breathing of moist air into the space between the panels, ordinarily caused by the difference oftemperature between the interior and exterior of the case.

Trim bands or moulding 40 may be secured to the frames 32 between the panels 28 by tacking, (as shown in Figs. 2 and 3) to enclose the gaskets and packing elements. These bands have beveled edges and cooperate with the frames and the panels to provide spaces into which the gaskets and packing may expand or be extruded unseen, thereby providing a finished appearance and simplifying the construction and installation of the elements.

As illustrated in Fig. 2m, each of the panels 28 is provided with a frame 32 which is secured to the others and the outer frame 33 is secured thereto by the screws 36, whereby all of these members may constitute an assembled unit, separable from the case, and may be shipped and installed without first placing the inner panel or manipulating other parts, as in the first abovedescribed structure. Screws 4| may be passed through the frame seat on the case into the inner of the frames 32 to draw the unit into tight face to face relation With the seat.

Ribbed members 42 project from the beams 8 and 9 and support sliding doors having edges 43 containing grooves fitting the ribs.

Having described my invention, I claiml. A window structure for refrigerators and the like comprising a plurality of transparent panels, substantially incompressible rigid frames for the respective panels and having surfaces assembled face to face beyond the edges of said' panels, frames aforesaid having substantially incompressible rigid members projecting between the panels, compressible means between said panels and members and between said surfaces, and clamping devices passing through one of 'the frames and into another thereof beyond the edges of said panels for drawing said surfaces to gether. l f

2. A window structure for refrigerators and theflike comprising transparent panels, a substantially incompressible rigid frame for each panel and extending beyond the edges thereof, means passing through one and into another of the frames beyond the edges of the panels for clamping the surfaces of said frames in face to face relation, a support, and means including a rim'and'fasteners passing through said rim into saidsupport beyond said frames 'for securing said frames vto said support. l

3. A window structure for refrigerators and the like comprising a plurality of transparent panelsysubstantially incompressible frames in which the respective panels are mounted, said frames having surfaces assembled face to face beyond'the edges of said panels, va support for said frames, and including compressible means between each panel and itsframe and between each panel and the frame adjacent thereto for preventing the passage of air between the said frames and the edges of said panels mounted thereinland between the edges of said panels and the adjacent frames.

4. A window structure for refrigerators and the like comprising a plurality of transparent panelsfsubstantially incompressible rigid frames for therespective panels, and having surfaces assembled face to face beyond the edges of said panels, 4a support for said frames, means for preventing passage of air between said frames and support, coating means on the edges of the framesy for preventing passage of air between said frames and support for preventing breathing of the spaces between the panels. v

5. A window structure for refrigerators and the like comprising a plurality of transparent panels, substantially incompressible rigid frames for the respective panels and having rabbets for the reception of the edges of said panels, said frames having surfaces assembled face to face beyond the edges of said panels, sealing material between the panels and the surfaces of the rabbets, packing between the frames, a support for said frames, sealing means around the edges of certain of said frames'between such frames and said support, and means passing through one of said frames and into another thereof for pressing said frames together. "6. A window structure for refrigerators and the like ycomprising a plurality of rigid rabbeted frames, a glass panel secured in the rabbet of each frame, said frames having rigid incompressible members extended between the panels and surfaces assembled face to face beyond the edges of the panels, and clamping devices passing throughv one frame and into another thereof beyond and spaced from the edges of the panels for securing said'frames'together and form an assembled unit separable as a unit from a refrigerator case.

7. A window structure for refrigerators and the like comprising a plurality of rigid frames containing rabbets in similarly disposed faces thereof, a glass panel seated in the rabbet of each of said frames, said frames having rigid incompressible members extending between the panels and surfaces assembled face to face beyond the edges of the panels, clamping devices passing through one frame and into another beyond the edges of and spaced from the panels for drawing saidsurfaces'together, and compressible sealing means between the edges of each panel and the sides of the rabbet in which it is seated.

8,'A window structure for refrigerators and the like comprising a plurality of rigid rabbeted frames, a glass panel seated in the rabbet of each of said frames, said frames having surfaces assembled face to face beyond the 'edges of. the panels, clamping devices passing through one frame and into another beyond the edges of and spaced from the panels for drawing said abutting surfaces together, compressible sealing means be tween the edges of each panel and the sides of the rabbet in which it is seated, and members on each frame between a pair of panels and having beveled edges cooperating with the frames and panels to provide spaces into which the sealing means may be extruded.

- CARL A. SPOERL. 

